


Nothing is Never An Option

by glackglizz



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2020-03-08
Packaged: 2021-02-08 11:29:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21475282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glackglizz/pseuds/glackglizz
Summary: Janey’s gone off the radar, and Athena’s getting worried.
Relationships: Athena/Janey Springs
Comments: 1
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic literally ever, so this is also my first time posting here. If the layout looks weird or somethings off, let me know! Constructive criticism is welcome

Three weeks. It’s been three weeks since Janey last contacted me for a job. She’s not my only provider, of course, but she’s my most reliable. There’re bounty boards, and I’ve been keeping myself busy with odd jobs from Moxxi and Pickle, but it’s strange. At least every other day she was contacting me, to flirt or for a simple scavenging job.

Sometimes she gave me other missions, like hunting someone down, tracking parts, or just grabbing food for her. Sometimes she’d call when I was on more relaxed jobs, like harvesting spider-ant parts on Pandora or chauffeuring some random citizen around. We’d talk about random subjects, though she’d mostly ask about what I was doing. What _I _was doing. No one’s had this much interest in every little thing I do since Atlas.

It took me months to realize that she was actually interested when she asked, that she didn’t just need something from me. It was almost like she actually _ cared. _Sometimes she’d read her children’s stories for me, when I acted grouchy. Sometimes I’d call her, though this happened far less often. I’d ask about jobs, even though that wasn’t what I’d called for. I’d call for stability, familiarity. I’m a talented assassin, but my social skills are quite lacking. In this line of work, I generally shoot before exchanging pleasantries.

I rarely sleep in the same place more than once, so it helped for me to have just one constant in my life. And now it’s gone. It hasn’t even been that long, only 21 and a half days. I’ve called _ three times _ in the last three weeks. _ Three times. _Once a week. She never picked up. I feel desperate, calling so much. Desperate for what, I don’t know. Desperate for companionship? Friendship?

Atlas never taught me how to deal with loneliness, or at least not in a healthy way. It was always _shove it down,_ _never let your emotions interfere with a job, _and I suppose they were right. Emotions just got in the way, they served no real tangible purpose. It _did_ work_, _but it took a toll_. _I don’t know how to express what I’m thinking anymore, what I’m feeling. Sometimes it feels like I’m going to explode. Things get loud, too loud, and I have to stop and take deep breaths like a child, like a victim.

Talking to Janey was good, I didn’t always have to figure out what I was thinking or feeling, somehow she’d just know. I'm worried about her. I miss her. I’m scared to lose her. And her just _vanishing_? It’s out of character. She _ always _ answers, even just to tell me that she’s busy. That’s why I’m in Concordia again. To check on her like an obsessed ex.

I scrape my boots against the ground outside, but it doesn’t do much. I haven’t cleaned up in forever, and it’s been at least two weeks since my last shower. I walk into her store, expecting her to be standing there as always, right behind her table, but I don’t see her. Her shop is _ freezing, _ like she turned on the AC and forgot about it. I enter her office area and look around. It’s a mess, but it looks like no one’s been here in at least a week or so. I click on her thermostat and turn it down. Wherever she is, she probably won’t like the high electric bill.

I look around for clues, but can’t find _ any. _ She left an echo log on her desk, but it’s rude to listen to echo’s without permission. An invasion of privacy. I learned that one from Janey, Atlas didn’t give a shit about privacy so I didn’t either, _ until _ Janey ignored me for a week for listening to an echo of hers. It wasn’t anything personal, just her talking about her day, but she acted like it was the end of the world. I suppose I understand, it was like when the higher-ups would read my file. Nothing in it was a secret, but it did feel _ weird. _ I didn’t want them knowing _ anything _ about me, let alone my private information, yet they knew more about me than even I did at the time.

I anxiously walked around Concordia, asking _ everyone _ I can think of if they’ve seen Janey. I asked Nina, but she said she hadn’t seen her since I was last with her. I asked Earl, but he told me to fuck off and to not to come back unless I have eridium or moonstone. I asked basically everyone who will talk to me, everyone who isn’t scared of me, until I finally heard someone mumble something as I walk away. It’s faint, and anyone else would’ve missed it I think, but I don’t.

“Why do you care anyway, it’s not like she’s your girlfriend..” I turn and glare at her.

“Do I fucking _ know you?” _ Her eyes widen and she looks like she wants to run. Then, familiarity hits.

“Amelia?” She gulps.

“Do you have a problem?” I move my hand toward my blade, and she immediately sputters.

“No, no ma’am, I don’t.” I grip my hand onto the handle, walking toward her slowly.

“Where’s Janey?” She puts her hands up by her head in surrender.

“Shit, I dunno! I haven’t seen her in weeks!” I move the blade against her throat. “Moxxi’s, maybe, but I swear I really don’t know!”

I sheath my blade, nodding at Amelia. She doesn’t bother saying goodbye, but just takes off. Sometimes being intimidating is useful, I suppose. I start fiddling with a charm I have attached to my Echo. Janey gave it to me, right after my business with Jack ended. It’s just a small charm of her face, but it helps calm me down. _Free advertising_, she’d said.

Why didn’t I think of Moxxi’s first? Of course she’d be there, they work together a _ lot, _what with them both being brilliant with mechanic stuff. I know next to nothing in that area, just what little stuff Janey taught me. I can’t help but run on my way to Moxxi’s, but I slow myself down once I’m almost there. At least I know where she is. 


	2. Chapter 2

I enter the establishment. I don’t see Janey at the front, and I’m ready to kick Amelia’s ass for lying, when I hear a slurred voice yell from the back. 

“Athena, what’re you doin’ here?” Her accent is more prominent than ever, and I wonder if it’s due to the alcohol or staying in a city with people that share it. The sound fills me with relief.  _ She’s alright.  _ I follow the voice, only to find her hunched over a table. 

“I’m here to find  _ you..”  _ I didn’t think about what I’d say to her when I finally found her. 

“Well, here I am!” She laughs and takes a drink from her glass. 

“What  _ is  _ that, exactly?” She raises a brow. 

“What d’ you think it is?” I shrug. 

“Some sort of alcohol? I don’t know Springs, I wouldn’t have asked if I did.” She giggles and rests her chin on her elbow. 

“Grouchy today?” I shrug again. I don’t have an answer for her, not yet anyway. She had me worried for no reason, but she’s fine, she’s safe, and I’m a dumbass. She shrugs back at me.

“Well, you found me, what is it?” I cross my arms. I mumble a response. 

“You haven’t contacted me in a while.” She doesn’t look happy to see me anymore. 

“So you just want another job?” I shrug, again. God, why can’t I just put together sentences? 

“Well, I have one, then. Get lost.” Oh. That was.  _ Ouch _ . I’ve known her a while now, and she’s never said anything with so much poison to me before. I may not be the best at reading situations, but she’s clearly drunk out of her mind. She  _ must _ be. There’s  _ no way _ she’d say that to me sober, she  _ always  _ seemed happy to see me. Right? 

“Okay,  _ look  _ Springs, I know you aren’t feeling well, but I assure you that further intoxication won’t help whatever’s going on with-” “Fuck  _ off,  _ Athena..”

“No, no I don’t think I will. See, what I’m here for is to help you, _not _to deal with you acting like I’ve wronged you somehow. And, maybe I have, but I can’t attempt to repair whatever damage I’ve caused if I don’t even know where to start.” She sighs, but doesn’t say anything in return. 

“Why are you so angry with me, Janey?” There’s desperation in my voice, I know there is, but I don’t bother filtering it. She shakes her head.

“I’m not- I’m not  _ angry _ . Not with you, anyway.” I sit in front of her. 

“Well, if it’s not me, then who  _ are  _ you angry with?” She scratches at the back of her neck. “You remember that hottie we found? Way back when? Amelia?” I nod. I don’t find it necessary to tell her what happened earlier, now is  _ not  _ the time. 

“Well, she and I sorta hooked up. That was it, that was all. Except it wasn’t. She wanted more, and I.. well, I couldn’t provide it.. See, I like someone else.” I raise a brow. 

“Moxxi? I thought all that flirting was a joke.” She laughs. 

“Yeh, yeh it was. Not her, it doesn’t matter who. Point is, I broke the lady’s heart because I can’t get over a stupid crush.” She giggles quietly, but slowly the giggles turn into sobs. I put a hand over hers on the table.

“Look, Springs, I’m not so great with these sorts of things, but it isn’t your fault. You  _ cannot  _ control your heart. If you feel things for her, then great, wonderful. But if you don’t? Well, it’s not the end of the world. We just can’t like everyone, or that’d be one hell of a mess.” She laughs at that. 

“I just don’t know what to do. My silly little crush isn’t going away, and frankly it’s eating away at me.” I shrug. 

“Maybe one day it’ll fade, maybe it won’t, I can’t make any promises here, but I can assure you that your body knows what it’s doing. If it’s telling you to pursue someone romantically, then maybe that’s the right move. Maybe her rejection or acceptance is what you need.” She slowly nods. “You lied to me, you  _ are  _ kinda great at these things.” It’s my turn to laugh. “Look, let’s get you home, or at least back to your shop. You can get some rest, sober up and all. We can figure the rest out in the morning. Is that alright?” She nods and moves to stand up, grumbling something I don’t understand. The second she’s upright, she starts to tip over, but I catch her by her shoulder. She giggles into my arm and I start to lead her out of the bar. B4R-BOT waves for us to stop, so I chuck him a wad of cash. I wonder for a moment how much her bill was. I guide her across town and to her shop. Thank god I turned the AC off. It’s not freezing anymore but it is still a little chilly. 

“S’not a good idea- to fast travel in my state..” I plop her down in her office chair. 

“Do you have any blankets here?” She nods and points at a drawer by her printer. I quickly lay out a pallet for her and help her get settled down. I lock the doors, to both the garage and her office, and set the blinds. I have my Echo out, ready to fast travel, when she grumbles for me to stop. 

“Wait, wait. ‘Thena.. I don’t wanna be alone..” I just stare at her, She  _ couldn’t  _ be implying what I think she is. “Come lay with me?” I swallow. 

So she  _ was  _ implying that. I nod slowly and walk toward her, stripping off my outer garments. I wear multiple layers at all times, for reasons like this. I can’t lay on a bed if I’m covered in blood and grime. I’m wearing a tank-top and tights as I climb into the pallet. By the time I’m settled down next to Janey, she’s already asleep. I can’t help but smile at the sight. Before, when I worked for Atlas, I had to actively look for things to smile about. I’d force myself to smile at butterflies, at Knox. They deserved smiles and it wasn’t right that I could never give that to them. 

It was hard, I mean, I didn’t  _ want  _ to smile. I just wanted to get through it, to fulfill my contract, to survive. But that was part of what helped me survive, I suppose. I couldn’t openly express my thoughts or feelings, but I could just grin. What could Atlas say to that? They can tell me not to talk about how I feel, but they couldn’t tell me not to  _ smile.  _ But then, of course, there came times where I couldn’t even get myself to do  _ that,  _ smiling was  _ hard.  _ Being happy was hard. So, it wasn’t long before I gave up. I didn’t grin, I didn’t laugh, and I sure as hell didn’t joke around. And that didn’t end when my contract did, I was still as sour as rotten milk.

I can’t say for sure what changed, what caused me to start smiling without active effort, but I can say that Janey is always there when it happens. She noticed the change, too. She teases me about it every now and then. I used to hate when people would tease me, it felt like I had to change, that something was wrong, but not with Janey. When she teases me, she does it in a way where I can laugh too. I fall asleep thinking of her.


End file.
